Life-saving device.



A. CONDURSO.

LIFE SAVING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.8. 1917.

Patented Apr. '30, 1918.

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LIFE-SAVING DEVICE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 8, 1917. Serial N o. 185,171.

body of the wearer through the medium of an attaching band or-belt.

f The main object of the invention is the provision of alie-savingdevice which is adapted to be extended or `set up in box-like form, whenit is to be used, and tobe collapsed in compact form so as to occupyAbut relatively small space, when not in use, there being also in viewin this connection the provision oi' a liiesaving device well adapted tobe employed with advantageous results by those who are learning to swim.v

With these and otherobjects in view, the invention resides in thedetails of construction and vin thecombination and `arrangementA ofparts herinafter described .and shown in the accompanying drawingsforming a part of thisV specication and'. in which j Figure 1 is a viewin perspective of the device extended for application to the body of thewearer. v v

Fig. '2 is a view inperspective of the device in collapsed condition.

Fig.V 3 is a View in horizontal section, taken approximately on the line3.3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken approximately on theline 4--4` ot Fig. 5V is cross-section, taken `approximately on the line5 5 of Fig. 4.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughoutthe'accompanying draw- Y p ings.

may be referred to as the rectangular botratentea npr. ao,- ieie.

tom partion oit' the structure, and `the other as the rectangular topportion thereof.

W ith more particular reference to the accompanying drawings, thenumeral 10 denotes parallel channel-bars, of which the tree longitudinaledges of the sides 11 are formed `with lateral fianges 12, in order toprovide confronting grooves as 13 for thev suitable slidable receptionot parallel plates as 14, the respective opposite sides of which Vareprovided with longitudinal slots as 15 of such size as to slidinglyaccommodate said lateral flanges as 12. Secured upon the fiat faces orsides of the channel bars 10, at the ends thereof by rivets as 16, so asto rigidly connect one with the other, is a cross piece 17. Similarlyconnecting the plates 14 at their remote ends is a cross piece 1S.Another cross piece 19 connects the bars 14 at their forward ends,thisbar l9 intermediate its length, being formed with an expandedearlike portion 20, upon the inner face of which is secured thelaterally projecting lugs 21 for thesupport of a pinned at 24 a crossarm 25 having rigidly secured in its opposite ends the projecting pins26, which, passing through eyes as 27 provided for the purpose throughthe bars 14, are adapted to engage in apertures as 28 provided in thechannel-bars 10. 1n this manner, I arrange for the locking or uiilockingof the bars 14 with the channel-bars 10, it being obvious that when theoperating lever 23 is raised, the pins 26 will be withdrawn from theeyes 28, thereby permitting the bars 14 to be advanced in the channelbars 10 until the cross piece 18 butts against the adjacent ends of thelatter, and also that when the bars 14 are extended to bring the eyes 28in register with the pins 26, the two sections will again be locked bythe proper outward movement of the operating lever f ico pairsbeingarranged lin assembling as bottom and top portions of a rectangularboxlike figure, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4. v

Inorder to hol/d and maintain these bottom and top complementarysections apart when the device is to be extended for service, I employthe coil push spring 29', which is positioned between the operatinglevers as 23 preferably directly in alinement with the intersection ofsaid levers with their respective cross arms 25. The opposite ends ofthe coil spring are passed, through. apertures as 30 and bent uponthemselves in any suitable manner so: as to fixedly secure saidspringfbetween the operatingflevers: 23.

UponI the complementary frame sections thus assembledcso as to: inclosethe same to provide a water-tight box-like vfloat, l securefa covering`3l. made ofi rubber or of any suitable waterproof-fabric,,adapted toprevent the entrance kof water into the structure, and yet flexibleenough to be folded upon itself -wlierrthe device is collapsed. Thiscovering 31 isrigidly secured in. proper position' to theendxpiecesxas17 and 1S of both the complementary sections; and it is, of.coursemade`of such size4V that itis held substantially taut. all around when thedevice is extendednfor use, as best illustrated in Fig. 1. As. thebox-like structure is collapsed, thiscovering 31between the cross pieces.as 17 and.: 18, in longitudinal direction, and betweenthe correspondingcross piecesof each com-plementary section in the direction of the4height of the box, may be foldedupon itself, as best, illustrated inFig., 2. l

' The. operating levers 23 are preferably of such length as to extendthroughfthe covering 31 at-one end forready manipulation from'v theoutside of the box, the ends 32 being preferably covered water-tight byinclosing pieces as 33 of ksuch size and resiliency as not Yto interferewith the act-uation of said operating levers orwith the folding ofthecovering l31. These operating levers23 may, however, if desired, be madeshorter so that they do not extend beyond the covering 31, but are bentinstead toward the adjacent cross pieces as 18, ending in a headt, sovthat when the boxis to be collapsed, they may be actuated sutlicientlyfrom the. outside to remove pins 26 from the eyes 28.

As shownin Fig. 1, I prefer to secure to theoutside of the covering 31,loops as 35, through which is passed an adjustable strap or band 36,which maybe utilized in one instance to attach the device to the body ofthe wearer, and vin another instance to counteract, when thestructure iscollapsed, the pressure vof the spring29 whereby to maintain4 it insuitable collapsed condition, as illustrated in Fig, 2.

Fromk the foregoing: description taken in Ynetgear connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will readily be seen that this lifesavingfloat or construction is adapted io be collapsed both longitiulinallyand transversely so that when fully collapsed, it will occupy a spacebut little greater than onefourtlr of its size when extended.

Having thus described my invention what l claim is z* 1. A device of thecharacter described comprising complementary pairs of frame sections,each being similarly extensible lengthwise, independent means forlocking each pair in extended position, resilient meansv engaged betweenthey complementary pai-rs forholding the saine normally apart, and awater-proof covering completely incasing said complementary sections,said covering being engaged upon the sections so as. to be taut whensaidsections are extended and to fold upon itself when said sections`are collapsed.

2. A device of thecharacter described, comprising two pairs ofcomplementary frame sections, each pair being similarly extensible inone direction, independent means forloclring each pair in extended p0-sition,.resilient means engaged between the two pairs to hold themnormally apart, a water-proof covering completely incasing saidsections, said covering being connected tov the ends` thereof in suchmanner as to be tautlwhenY the sections are extended and to be foldedupon itselfwhen said sections are collapsed, and means combined withsaid covering whereby to) attach the device to the body of the wearer,said means also being adapted` to secure the sections in collapsedcondition when not in use.

3. Ay device of the character described, comprising two complementarypairs of trame -sections,.each pair including a rectangular frame with apair of parallel slideways and a. second frame witha pair` of parallelbars engaged in said slideways and slidable longitudinally therein,locking means combined .with said second frames to lock the same inextended position upon said first frames, resilient means engagedbetween theftwo pairs of sections tohold them normally apart, a waterproof covering completely incasing said frame sections, said coveringbeing engaged upon the ends thereof so as to be stretched taut whenthesections are extended, and means for operating against the tension ofsaid spring to hold the sections in collapsed condition.

4L. A device of the character described, comprising two complementarypairs of frame sections, each` section including a frame having apair ofparallel slideways and a second frame including a pair of parallel barsslidable therein, meansr combined with each second frame for locking thesame rigid with the first frame vwhen in extended position, anindependent hand actuated operating lever for each locking means, a coilspring engaged between the operating levers to hold the complementarypairs normally apart in locked position, a water-proof cov- @ringcompletely incasing liquid-tight said complementary sections, saidcovering being engaged upon the free ends of said sections in suchmanner as to be stretched tautly when the sections are extended and tobe folded upon itself when .the sections are collapsed, and means forholding the sections in collapsed condition.

5. The combination, in a life saving device, of two complementary pairsof frame sections, each pair being similarly extensible in onedirection, independent mechanism for locking each pair in extendedposition, means for manually operating the locki ing mechanism,resilient means arranged between the locking `mechanism for each pair tohold the same normally in locked position, said resilient means beingalso adapted to maintain the complementary sections spaced apart when inlocked position, a water-prooi:l covering engaged liquid-tight upon saidcomplementary frame sections, said covering being adapted to bestretched. tautly-when said sections are extended and to be folded uponitself in two directions when said sections are collapsed, and means forattaching the device when extended, to the body of the wearer.

YIn testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication.

ANTONINO CONDURSO.

` @opten el? thin patent may bcobtalncd for vc cents. each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patente,

Wachlnmon, JD.

